Claire de Lune
by Lyrical
Summary: Mr. Reid was supposed to be nothing more than Serena Kyle’s piano teacher…But every second she spends with him she is learning that he is so much more... Serena/Darien paring
1. Lessons in the art

Lessons in the art: Chapter 1  
Rating: G  
  
Summary: Mr. Reid was supposed to be nothing more than Serena Kyle's piano teacher...But every second she spends with him she is learning that he is so much more.  
  
90 miles outside of Chicago  
Can't stop driving,  
I don't know why-  
So many questions,  
I need an answer,  
Two years later  
You're still on my mind.  
Whatever happened to Amelia Earhart?  
Who holds the stars up in the sky?  
Is true love just once in a lifetime?  
Did the captain, of the titanic cry?  
Some day we'll know  
If love can move a mountain  
Some day we'll know   
Why the sky is blue  
Someday we'll know  
Why I wasn't meant for you...  
  
- New Radicals  
  
Love must be sincere.  
- Romans Chap: 12 Verse 9  
  
  
  
  
It was a rainy autumn afternoon and she sat alone, in front of a large white grand piano. The rose tinted fingers of her slim right hand lazily ran up and down the smooth ivory keys. A light melody drifted gently to her ears. It was a simple tune. One her mother had taught her just before she had died. It was the only thing she had remembered from back then.   
Her fingers slowly began to pick up their pace a little more and just as she was about to bring her left hand up to join her right one, she heard someone clear their throat in an effort to capture her attention. Affectively ending any further progression on her part. She looked up.  
  
From her position- which was sitting on a small white piano bench- she could see her father standing a few feet in front of her piano with someone else standing behind him. Slowly rising from her seat she walked to her father and gave him a small peck on the cheek.   
  
"Hello Father. I wasn't expecting to see you today. What brings you by?" she said sweetly while smiling up at him. Her father, known to everyone else primarily as Mr. Kyle secondarily as Kenneth, stood a rousing 6 ft 2 with perfectly grayed white hair and jade eyes.   
  
He draped his arm around her shoulder and turned them both to face their guest as he told her. "Remember when we talked about you beginning your piano lessons again." She nodded her head affirmatively. "Well, I am here, to introduce you to your new piano teacher Mr. Reid." He said smilingly. She turned her to look over at their guest. Her eyes drifted over Mr. Reid who appeared to her, to be a very proper individual, he stood about the same height as her father, lean, with perfectly combed jet-black hair, and cobalt blue eyes. He wore silver oval shaped glasses and a finely pressed dark gray suit white shirt and navy blue tie. He had had a shiny metallic briefcase in tow.   
  
"He came highly recommended." Turning to look at her he whispered, "And not very cheep might I add." Which earned a smile from her. Stepping aside making it possible for Mr. Reid and Serena to have a better look at one another he continued on.  
  
"Starting today Mr. Reid will be providing you with piano lessons everyday after school until you are every bit as good as that Mozart guy." He said with a smile while looking at her. Turning back around and walking back to the door in which he came, he added, "... And if I start to see results, who knows, maybe I'll even allow you to go to that school you've been raving so badly about." She stared at his retreating figure wordlessly. Her mouth slightly agape, wondering if she had heard what she though she had just heard.   
  
Unnoticed by her Mr. Reid had taken off his suit jacket and tie and had sat down at the piano bench. And as she stood there wondering again for the umpteenth time if she had heard her father correctly he was rolling up his sleeves and beginning to play. He began exactly where she had left off. Slowly drawing her attention back to him. She turned to face him. She watched as he sat at the white grand piano that stood atop of a glossy black marble floor and in front of a large sliding glass window that lead out onto the patio by the outdoor pool...the piano that was surrounded with calla lilies and snapdragons, sun catchers and wind chimes.   
  
In the eighteen years she had lived in this house only two people had ever played that piano and now Mr. Reid would be the third she thought about the significance of that as she listen to him play.   
He was in a word...perfect. His progression flowed through accurately never hitting a key for longer than needed nor did he ever forget to linger on a key, as needed either. She was entranced by his skill. And when the song was over part of her wished he would play it again. But he didn't.  
  
Instead, he turned to look at her...seemingly expectant of something. And for the first time today she was suddenly very aware of her appearance. She was wearing a white button down shirt with a pair of cream-colored straight leg pants and white socks and sandals. Her wickedly curly flaxen white hair had been strewn up rather messily in a loose bun. And per usual, she hadn't any makeup on. She supposed she looked all right but she also knew that she wasn't any pre-Madonna. Normally she didn't care but with the way he looked at her she felt almost naked. It was the most awkward moment of silence she had ever experienced. That is, until she realized that he had only been waiting for her to join him on the bench, which she timidly did while, she blushed, furiously.   
  
Once sitting on the bench next to him he finally spoke. "Go on." He said seemingly reservedly. She sat their puzzled for a minute. She had thought he had understood she didn't know how to play piano. After all that was what he was here for * to teach her how to*. But amazingly he still looked at her expectantly. She felt invalidated when she could do no more then bow her head in shame.   
  
"Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. Before your father and I walked in you had been playing the piece I just finished correct?"  
  
She nodded her head affirmatively and waited for him to go on.   
  
"I would like you to finish playing..."   
  
He requested.   
  
She sat up placed her slim fingers on the keys, took a deep breath and played two more bars of the song and then stopped. After a few seconds of silence she slowly said.   
  
"I don't...I don't know the rest."   
  
He raised his head and an eyebrow at her as she too slowly lifted her head to face him. Unshed tears apparent in her azure eyes, a few caught in her unusually long lashes   
  
"My mother died before she could finish teaching me the song...I...I, don't know the rest."   
  
She said pitifully.   
  
He seemed undaunted. Slowly he scooted closer to her on the piano bench and leaned his head in next to her ear and replied,  
  
"...well then, today you will."   
  
*** 


	2. Reflected

Reflected: Chapter 2  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: One day...as part of my plan for *TOTAL WORLD DOMINATION* I plan on owning sailor mo-...oop's... I mean...I uh...don't own sailor moon...he he  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"You and I, are destiny   
I know now,  
You, were meant for me"  
-Alicia Keys  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
'But happily ever after fails  
And we're only left poisoned by fairy tales...'  
-Anon  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
Eight weeks later, found Serena sitting on the piano bench that was in front of the patio running through her scales. It had been raining that day too. And Mr. Reid had been standing behind her looking out the window as he listened to her do her go through her scales. As she slowly descended up and down the scale for the third time today a thought occurred to her and she suddenly stopped playing, drawing Mr. Reid's full attention towards her. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow as she turned to face him. Ignoring his forewarning glance she simply stated,  
  
"I was just thinking, in the eight weeks you've been teaching me piano I only know you by your last name..."   
  
She said it elusively hoping that it would be enough invitation for him supply her with another.   
  
He looked at her unimpressed by her lack of attention to the lesson at hand and asked,   
  
"And that's a problem because?"   
  
She stood up and began walking the length of the piano, hating the feeling of him looking down at her.   
  
"Well, I just realized that you know a lot more than most people do about me, the type of books I like to read, my after school activities... the fact that I bite my nails when I'm nervous... I just thought that it would be nice for me to be able to say the same thing about you."  
  
She said, finally finding the courage to turn and look at him in the eyes, once she was all the way across the room from him.   
  
She was met with a dismissive look. Turning his back to her, he took off his glasses, and began to wipe them with a handkerchief he had, had apparently tucked away in his front shirt pocket. After a few seconds made it apparent to him that she was not going to move without an answer from him he sighed turned his head and finally supplied,   
  
"Jason."   
  
She looked at him incredulously   
  
"Jason?"   
  
She asked skeptically.   
  
"Yes, Jason. Now may we continue on with the lesson?"   
  
He said as he pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. Effectively ending any more discussion on his part. Defeatedly she slowly she made her way back towards the bench and sat down. As an afterthought she added.   
  
"I just wouldn't have pegged you as a Jason, that's all."   
  
For some reason that statement caught his attention.   
  
"And why, may I ask is that?"   
  
Mr. Reid asked haughtily.   
  
"I don't know"   
  
Serena stated thoughtfully as she began doing her scales again   
  
"I suppose the name Jason seems a bit dangerous, precarious, impulsive even... I guess I don't see you as any of those things- I mean, um... I just thought a name like Alec, or Simon would better suit you."   
  
She said as she finished her scales and turned to face Mr. Reid, now also known as Jason. Mr. Reid smiled -it was the first time she had ever seen him smile- it was truly a wicked looking smile, as if he knew something she didn't. As he came to sit next to her on the piano he whispered,   
  
"Just wait...you'll see just how dangerous I can be."   
  
***  
  
That night Serena lay awake in bed. Try as valiantly as she did to fall asleep, she just couldn't, and in the forefront of her mind she knew exactly why.   
  
It was because of Mr. Reid. It was because of Jason.   
  
It wasn't that she disliked his presence at the manor; it was just that he knew things about her. Things that other people -people who had known her for longer periods of time... entire lifetimes even- knew nothing about.   
For instance, the fact that her mother was dead was not something she went around publicizing. But he knew. He had known the very first day he had met her, and the thought that he knew so much, about such and intimate part of her life frightened her.  
She conceded that Mr. Reid was talented; there was no doubt about that. He had the awards, and various degrees in music to tell her all of that. She also supposed that her dad was just trying to fill up the part of her that he knew she wanted... something he knew she needed. But she couldn't help but feel as if asking Mr. Reid to do that- to be that for her was asking too much. After all he had no idea what he was getting himself into. Even with all his degrees and awards.  
  
Restlessly turning on her side, she spied the full moon in the window. Subconsciously, she wondered what her mother would have to say about him, and his presence at the Kyle manor if she were alive...  
Hesitantly she brought her slim fingers up to her collarbone and touched the silver heart locket that hung there. It had belonged to her mother; she had been told that her father had given it to her mother when they had begun courting.   
However, just after her mother's funeral, after all remaining remnants of her mothers presence -aside from the white piano- had been removed from the house, her father had given it to her asking her to hold on to it saying that it had been too painful for him to hold on to.   
She had been 6 at the time...it had been almost 13 years ago, and yet remarkably, it still felt like it was just yesterday.   
  
"Mother"  
  
She whispered looking at the locket.  
  
She could already feel the tears stinging her eyes. The tears that only came when she could not remember what her mother had looked like...when she couldn't remember what her mother's voice had sounded like... the type of person she had been. Even though she knew it would cause nothing but agony trying to recall memories that no longer existed, still she wondered.   
She always wondered about her mother, and who had she been? She wondered about her father, and why he had removed all reminders of his mother's memory if he still longed for her so. And most importantly she wondered about Jason.   
She wondered about him most; 'who he was' and 'why he was REALLY here'. Those two questions bothered her a great deal because aside from the compensation her father was providing to him he had no other reason to want to be there. Which made her wonder 'Why with all his awards, and degrees he had would rather tutor a young beginner like her, instead of touring the world as a classical pianist composing symphonies'.   
She concluded that he was like an enigma to her. An enigma that she so desperately wanted to know all about.  
  
***  
  
"Daddy how does Penne a la vodka sound for dinner tonight?"  
  
Serena asked her father over breakfast the next morning. From across the table her father looked up from the paper he had been reading to glance at his only daughter.   
  
"Dinner? Tonight...? Sweetheart I don't think I'll be able to make it for dinner tonight, I have some prospective clients coming in to town tonight... and they've requested to have dinner with me...their contribution to the company would prove very viable for us all. You understand..."  
  
He said trailing off after the help arrived to carry away their plates. As soon as they left he finished with and apologetic   
  
"Sorry, love."   
  
After spying her disappointed downcast gaze   
  
"It's okay daddy...Really, I understand."   
  
She said, not entirely meeting his gaze. After a few seconds she looked up and said,   
  
"Besides, I know that you'll knock 'em dead, after all, you always do."   
  
She let the statement hang there, not knowing what else to say. Her father sensing the awkwardness of the moment, decided to change subjects and with a sly smile he reminded her,   
  
"You better get going. Today's Friday and you don't want Ms. Moore to give you detention for being late to class do you?"   
  
She laughed rising from her seat.   
  
"Oh no daddy, we'd never want that."   
  
Walking over to her father she gave him a light peck o the cheek and whispered   
  
"Have a great day daddy."   
  
To which he replied,  
  
"You too, love."  
  
__________  
  
At school that day Serena sat alone at lunch, not unlike most days, but in all fairness, she was used to the solitude by now. Looking around her she glanced at the people that she had called peers. They were all dressed alike, in the famous Crestmore uniforms. Gray slate pleated skirts with navy blue knee-highs for the girls, and finely pressed navy blue cuffed trousers and long neckties for the guys. Both sexes sported delicately starched white cotton, button down shirts with the school's monogram engraved on the front pocket. And although physically there was nothing that differentiated them from her, she couldn't help but feel misplaced.   
For years she had known each of her classmates, and yet she had yet to really know anyone. It was quite sad really, when her mother died suddenly, her father had taken it upon himself to make sure that extra precautions be taken with her. Which meant she had never been to a sleepover, -unless you counted the few times when she was younger and she had slept in the maids quarters, when she had had a bad dream and her father had been away- birthday party, play date, study session, or dance. Nor had she ever been on a date, experienced a kiss, held a boys hand or done anything sexual in nature with anyone but herself. Still she couldn't hold only her father at fault.   
Sadly, she recalled how, during freshman year, the other kids had persistently asked her to join them on their weekly excursions and weekend outings, but when she repeatedly turned them down, their invitations to join them became fewer in number until soon their were none. She didn't blame them though. She knew that if she had really cared to push the subject she could have. But she hadn't.   
When the invitations used to come she would, like most other teenagers, as her father for permission to go but when her father asked that she remain at home with him she obeyed. She had assumed that the reason he asked was what it had always had been... because of her mother... because he was lonely and scared that the same thing would happen to her. However it wasn't until much, much later, when she realized that -although his original response as to why she shouldn't go was that he hadn't wanted to be alone- the only on who sat alone within the fortifications of the Kyle manor was she.   
Ever so slowly, her father started to come home later on Friday nights, until every now and again he just didn't come home at all...consequently he supplied work as the reason... but sometimes she did wonder... without her mother at the house, the Kyle mansion could be quite lonely... especially for a man who was missing the company of his wife.  
In any case, instead of her father waiting up for her, it was she who waited for her father. She had concluded to be happy when they could spend time together, and understanding when they could not. Besides it wasn't like she didn't have anything to look forward to. She frequently looked forward to the times when she could paint, ride her horses, (father and good weather permitting) or read alone in her room, she especially looked forward to the nights when she got to help their cook, Vivian in the kitchen. Those activities, and of course, her piano lessons, kept her satisfied...kept her sane.  
  
__________  
  
When she arrived home that afternoon she was met by Mr. Reid already waiting for her in the piano room. Not wanting to aggravate him she sat down at the piano bench without having her usual after school snack.   
Making her way through her scales, and having had Mr. Reid go over her the sheet music to a new song she was going to learn she asked,   
  
" I know my father's paying you to teach me how to play piano but, is it alright if we take a break ...I am famished."  
  
She had expected him to tell her that it was rude for her to interrupt his lesson for something she should have taken care of before hand, but surprisingly he didn't. Instead he agreed industriously, and when she got up to get something to eat he uncharacteristically followed her into the kitchen. She sated her need for food with the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and fresh honeydew Vivian had left in the fridge for her. She was just about to turn away from the fridge when she saw the note tacked onto it.   
  
It was Vivian's handwriting. Reading it quickly she soon came to find that Vivian would not be home to cook dinner with her tonight because she had an unexpected family emergency. She wrote that if Serena had needed anything she was to call Rupert, Vivian's su chef -a man in which Serena wasn't very fond of. Suddenly Serena wasn't feeling as hopeful about remaining at home this evening as she had been previously.  
  
With a bit of regret she remembered how a few years back her father had cut back on the amount of help, and security they had, after Serena complained that she was sick of being guarded over. Though perhaps tonight she wouldn't mind it as much. Even still she concluded she had no other choice but to call Rupert and ask him to stay with her tonight. And though she realized the sooner she called Rupert the sooner he would be here she wasn't in any hurry to call. Besides Jason was still there... she could always call Rupert once he left.  
  
__________  
  
Though, the rest of the lesson did go on without any further delays Serena sensed that Mr. Reid had noticed the change in her demeanor after she had had her snack. She knew that she could always ask Mr. Reid to stay with her if she didn't want to be alone, but she hated to be a nuisance. Besides, she knew that most guys Mr. Reid's age -which she assumed to be around the age of twenty-four- usually had plans on Friday nights. She bit her lip discontentedly. Not aware he had been speaking to her.   
  
"Well?"   
  
He asked irritated. She snapped out of her daze to look at an expectant Mr. Reid.   
  
"Yes?"   
  
She said unsurely. Sighing in frustration he repeated,   
  
"I asked, if there was something bothering you?"   
  
She looked at him stunned for a minute before answering   
  
"Well, it's just that it...you see, I had planned...Vivian our cook..."  
  
He looked at her critically, forcing her to get to the point.   
  
"Would you have dinner with me?"   
  
She said rather quickly, blushing slightly at the questioning look he had on his expression.   
  
"I mean my dad is having a dinner meeting with some of his clients and I was supposed to be having dinner with Vivian, our cook instead but, she left a note saying that she had to go somewhere because of an emergency and-"   
  
"Are you all alone tonight, Serena?"   
  
Mr. Reid asked in a low voice as he came to stand by her. Swallowing slowly, she nodded her head, not trusting her voice not to give out on her if she replied audibly.   
  
"Okay then...I'll stay with you."   
  
He said nonchalantly. She did a double take.   
  
"Just like that ...I mean, you don't have any plans to cancel or anything?"  
  
He looked at her confusedly for a moment before he said,   
  
"Oh, you know now that I think about it, you're right. Can you hold on a minute?"   
  
Turning away from her he wiped out a cell phone and proceeded to talk in hushed tones. A few minutes later he turned back to her and asked.  
  
"So what are we having?"  
*** 


End file.
